Article 7. Hearings, Appeals, and Judicial Review.

A person may appeal to the Director from a decision of the Department refusing to issue or renew a driver identification card or license, including the opportunity to compete for a license under the lottery procedures of this Chapter because of a lack of qualifications.

An appeal must be filed in writing within 15 days after the Director sends the person a written decision. If the appellant requests a hearing, the Director must provide an opportunity for a hearing under Chapter 2A.

The decision of the Director under this Section is final administrative action for purposes of judicial review.

After receiving notice of a revocation or suspension, unless otherwise directed, the licensee or driver must, within 24 hours:

If the Department does not receive the license or identification card within 48 hours after notification, excluding weekends or a legal holiday, or as directed, the licensee or driver has violated this Chapter and, in addition to any other penalty that may be imposed, the Director or police may:

Any person aggrieved by the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license or identification card may apply for judicial review under the applicable Maryland Rules of Procedure.

If a transcript of any administrative proceeding has not been prepared, the appellant must pay the cost of preparing the transcript.

The Director’s decision to deny a license or driver identification card must not be stayed pending judicial review. Final administrative action that revokes or suspends, or refuses to renew, a license or identification card may be stayed pending judicial review only if the court finds, after a full evidentiary hearing, that the public health, safety, or welfare will not be endangered during the period of judicial review.

A lottery or other license issuance procedure may proceed while judicial review of the denial of a license or the opportunity to compete for a license is pending. Judicial modification or reversal of a final administrative action to deny a license or the opportunity to compete for a license does not affect the validity of any other license that was properly issued under this Chapter. If the court finds that a license was improperly denied, the court may order the Director to issue the license, notwithstanding any numerical limit in this Chapter on the number of licenses that can be issued. However, a license must not be issued to the appellant until all rights to judicial review have been exhausted.

Any decision of the Circuit Court on an appeal under this Section may be appealed to the Court of Special Appeals.